Bathtime
by Katerina Kintari
Summary: Thane is cured but still doesn't like water and tries to make his visits to the bathroom as quick as possible. Shepard wants to show him what he's missing. Post ME2, rated M for lemony fluffy goodness. Written for a prompt at the masskink meme.
1. Chapter 1

The water was hot and soothing. Shepard felt very decadent as she let it run over her skin. She could count the number of times she'd spent a night groundside without taking off both boots, and she'd certainly never spent any of those nights in a room this nice.

Well, they had just taken down one of the most powerful men in the galaxy. She supposed they deserved something for that. For once.

"Siha, do you intend to use up all the water on this planet?" Thane had approached with his customary silence, and was leaning against the doorway, watching her through the glass door of the bath. Instead of his usual armor or leather, he was wearing civilian clothing, but managed to look sleek and deadly despite the loose gray robes.

She grinned at him from under the curtain of water and winked. "Join me? The water's lovely and there's plenty of it."

"Drell do not need water to keep clean, siha. I don't believe I have ever bathed in water before."

"All the more reason to try it when you can. Come on!" She tried to strike a seductive pose--hard to do with soap suds in her hair and water dripping in runnels down her face, but his look as his eyes swept over her body made her feel like the sexiest woman in the galaxy. Still, he hesitated. She knew why without asking.

"The water shouldn't be a problem for you any more. The bandages came off days ago, and the cuts are almost completely healed. You should come enjoy yourself. There's plenty of room for two. And you don't know what you're missing if you've never had a bubble bath. It's wondrous." She winked again and wiggled her hips.

He chuckled. "How could I resist an offer such as that, siha?"

However, instead of stepping over to the shower, he walked over to the window, and pulled the blinds wide, letting the golden-red dawn light of Ilium pour in.

"Thane! What?" Shepard yelped. "People can see in, you know!"

He turned, silhouetted against the light. She was reminded of the day they had first met. It had been sunrise then, too, and he had just killed a roomful of guards, several with his bare hands. The familiar mix of admiration, awe, and lust swept over her.

"Let them, siha. I wish to see the sun against your skin." He seemed to have no modesty himself as he slowly slipped out of his robes. She forgot her embarrassment as she watched the soft cloth slide to the floor.

Shepard let her eyes roam over his body. She didn't think she'd ever seen him naked in full sunlight before, and the sight took her breath away. Subtle patterns of iridescence ran over his scales and the jagged-lightning pattern on his arms were revealed to have tones of gold and brown. He posed in front of the window like a malachite statue.

"Spirits, Thane, you are such a show off," Shepard managed to say after a sufficiently admiring pause. "Get your scaly hide over here already."

His rare laugh sounded over the running water that was filling the tub. "My impatient siha, enjoyment is never to be rushed. All good things are worth savoring." He raised his head, basking in the sunlight.

The water had reached Shepard's ankles by now. She knew what he was doing, the sneaky son-of-a-drell, and he wasn't getting out of her bubble-bath fantasy that easily. "Right. Really, the water isn't going to bite you. I promise, you'll like it once you try it." She swept her hand up so that sudsy water arced over the glass partition and splashed over his face.

Thane smiled at her as he reached up to flick a droplet of water off his chest. "I see that I cannot fool you, siha. But truly, the idea of bathing in water is very unnerving."

She shook soap out of her eyes and pushed the transparent door open. "You'll never know if you like it until you try." Shepard mock-scowled at him. "Orders, Thane. Get in here, now."

He was completely naked, so his twitch when her voice dropped on the last word was quite clearly visible. Reluctantly, eagerly, as if compelled, he came close enough to grab the open door.

She stepped back to give him some room, busying herself with switching the taps from overhead to tub to fill the water more quickly, but kept watch on him out of the corner of her eye. She could hardly believe that the greatest assassin in the galaxy was so uneasy about a bit of water. She would need to fix that.

Thane balanced on one bare foot, the other he extended toward the water that now reached Shepard's calves. His rather long primary toe hesitantly dipped into the rising water for a moment, then swirled around a ripple. "It's quite...warm, is it not? Hmmm."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Of course it's warm, it's a bath. Aren't you from a hot planet? Here, let me turn it up." She pulled on the hot water tap, causing steam to billow through the room, thick enough to fog up the still-open window. He actually flinched and almost lost his balance.

"I..siha, the humidity..."

"Thane, your body should be able to handle anything from a rain forest to a sandstorm now. Get in here!" She slid her hands around his waist and pulled. The condensation from the steam made the floor slippery, and he fell against her. They both splashed into the tub, the hot water surging around them.

She came up snorting water from her nose and looked around for Thane. Even in an unfamiliar element, his reflexes were much better then hers. He was already sitting up calmly, his chin resting on his knees.

"There, now what do you think?" she asked him. She nudged around until she was sitting between his legs. The water came up to their chests now that they were sitting down.

He still looked slightly nervous, but he answered calmly enough. "It's very interesting, siha. The warmth is very relaxing, if odd. What am I to do next?"

Shepard reached over to the array of bottles and jars that lined the luxury tub. "Now? Now we add the bubble bath."

"What, exactly, is bubble bath?"

She was unstoppering various containers as she answered. "It's soap and some other stuff to make the water foam. It usually smells nice, too. I've only had a few, but they are superb. We just need to pick a nice one." He looked dubious, but willingly sniffed at the bottles that she held up to him. Near the back, she came across a particularly ornate container. Curious, she opened it. The scent that wafted out was heavenly.

"Oh! Strawberries!"

* * *

**A/N: Written for the MassKink meme. Characters property of BioWare, I own nothing except my obsession.**  



	2. Chapter 2

She poured copious amounts under the tap and inhaled the sweet scent as the bubbles foamed up. The bubbles quickly spread over the expanse of the tub, gathering closely around her and Thane's bodies. He lifted a dripping arm to examine the froth decorating him, prodding at the bubbles curiously. They popped with tingly little sizzles, making him laugh again.

Shepard smiled to see him relaxing at last. "See? They're fun, aren't they. And the best part is, they're _edible_."

She took a moment to savor the utter bafflement on his face, but the temptation was too great. She leaned over and licked the lather off of his arm, swiping her tongue down his scales from shoulder to wrist. His breath gusted out of him in a hiss and she felt him twitch again, against her back. "I..begin to see your point."

She chuckled at him, her lips busy licking foam from between his fingers. She slowly sucked all traces of soap off of each finger in turn, enjoying the taste of the liquid mixed with the taste of his scales. His free hand rippled idly through the water before coming to rest on her hip. His mouth was hotter against her ear then the steaming air. "Tell me, what else is this bubble bathing meant for?"

She couldn't wait to show him.

Her words were muffled as she licked her way up his neck and leaned into his arms happily, enjoying the chance to just be with him. It was good to see him returned to health after the dangerous surgery. The hot steaming water and the scented bubbles were relaxing muscles she didn't even realize were tense. "Well, the bubbles are generally for the scent and relaxation, at least at first. But you could always wash my hair for me."

He smiled down at her tolerantly. "As drell don't have hair, you will need to instruct me on this procedure."

"I have a better idea. Hold still!" Shepard grinned wickedly, grabbed the bottle from the bathside tray and dribbled some onto his head. She scrubbed it into his scalp ridges, slopping suds over his fringe and forehead. When a particularly pinkish swab of soap trickled down his nose, though, she couldn't help but sit back and laugh hard enough to slosh water over the edges of the tub.

"This behavior is hardly becoming of a siha, siha," he murmured with his usual dignity.

She was too busy laughing to answer, spasmodically prodding at the largest bubbles that dripped down his neck. She thought she heard him murmur a question to Arashu about Her choice of sihas, but with the water lapping around, and her own gales of laughter, it was hard to be sure.

He sighed heavily and ducked his head under the last of the running water to clean off the bubbles before turning the tap off. Without the ongoing visual of his soap-cap, she was able to suppress the last of her chuckles as she leaned back against the shallower end of the tub. She raised a foam covered leg out of the water and stretched it out over his shoulder, a broad smile still on her face as she trailed a line of bubbles down his chest.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Thane, but you did look so adorable with the pink suds. You're usually so _dignified_. Pink goes wonderfully with black-and-green." Shepard tugged him over to her end of the tub and offered her back to him. "Here, you can lather me up now." He eyed her suspiciously as he took the bottle of shampoo, but his hands were careful in her hair.

Shepard mmmm'ed at the feel of his hands massaging her scalp. The intensely fragrant humidity of the room were combining with his movements to turn her thoughts in a single direction. His motions became caressing over her scalp and neck, unerringly finding the most tender spots. Her hands drifted through the scented water to press backward against his abdomen, then lower, kneading him with soap slicked fingers.

He groaned softly, his eyes moving to the angle of her shoulders, and to where the tips of her breasts dimpled the surface. She could feel him coming to life between her hands and wondered what he was planning.

Thane's fingers tangled into her hair, no longer quite so gentle, tugged her head backward to face him. Coils of steam curled lovingly above his head. "I believe you promised to show me the wonders of bathing. I would very much like to learn more," he whispered hoarsely before he kissed her.

She slid her hands around behind his hips as she returned his kiss. "Mmmm you taste like strawberries, Thane. We should do this more often."

His answer was to push her forward in front of him while his mouth sampled the taste of her slick back. Thane ran his fingers down Shepard's ticklish ribs, making her jerk her head out of his grasp with an indignant hiss. He ignored her surprise and rose out of the water behind her. Water sheeted off the muscles of his shoulders as he wrapped his patterned arms around her and pulled her onto him.

_He's so strong_, Shepard thought as he held her up. A single arm supported her entire weight. With the other, he scooped up a handful of soap suds and poured the warm lather across her collarbone, over her breasts and down her belly. He rubbed his tip against her thigh, teasingly delaying the inevitable as the water trickled down her hips and glittered in the sunlight. She moaned.

Thane pushed her head down until she was on her hands and knees, held between his legs, and further, till her cheek was touching the thinning layer of bubble bath. He curved over her, supporting them both against the transparent wall. His hands slid down to her hips to press her into him. The slick soapy water allowed him to glide smoothly into her body despite the difficult position. They hadn't made love since before his surgery and their desire for each other made them ache for the contact.

Covering her with his body, he bit into her ear, drawing a hoarse gasp from her throat. She tossed her head back and kissed him hard. She pounded her hips against him to enhance every thrust he made into her body. Her arms gave way and only his hold on her kept her head above the water. It seemed to make little difference; she was drowning. Her breath came in ragged gasps and waves of water and pleasure swamped her senses. Her muscles clenched around him.

Thane cried out for the first time since he entered her body. His final thrust lifted her knees off the bottom of the tub, she was afloat in the buoyant water. His cry was a fragmented series of whispers interspersed with her name while he clasped her to him desperately.

She sagged back into the tub in satisfaction, twisting to hold him close while they gradually became separate people again. She murmured nothings into his cheek, traced idle wet circles on his back. The steam had faded from the air by the time she untangled herself from him with a grin.

"Mmmm. I've missed that very much. Think you'll be willing to take baths in the future, Thane?"

"As long as you are involved in them, siha. Your arguments were quite persuasive," he replied. She shot him a wry look, laughing, and moved to get out of the tub, but his grip on her arm pulled her back. "Have you forgotten something, siha?"

She looked at him inquiringly. He chuckled softly. "There is still..bubble bath? in your hair. I don't believe you are meant to leave it in."

She shook her head to scatter sparkling drops. "There shouldn't be much left, we seem to have gotten stuff everywhere, but aren't you supposed to have cleaned it off?" She brandished her head over his so that strands splattered against his face.

Thane's mouth quirked mischievously when he dunked her entire head under the water and swished it around to loosen the last few bits of shampoo.

She sputtered back up and blew a stream of water in his face indignantly. He held up his hands appeasingly. "It's merely a return for earlier, after all. Is not all fair in love as well as war?" She scowled at him but conceded the point with an inward grin. It had been completely worth it.

She picked herself out of the tub toward the towel rack by the window. Slightly self-consciously, she made a show out of drying off squarely in the middle of the arc of sunlight, showing off for him. She knew he was memorizing every move that she made and she wanted him to get a good show. When she finally pulled the thick robe over her shoulders, she turned to notice that he was still sitting in the cooling water. "Now who's going to soak up all the water on the planet? You should get out before you get all pruny. If drell get pruny."

Thane splashed out of the bath, rather reluctantly, she thought, and took up the towel she handed him. With his head and most of his torso obscured by the terrycloth, one particular feature stood out rather obviously.

"Oops, too late. I think you spent too much time in the water." She choked back gallons of laughter only by applying a formidable amount of willpower, "I hate to tell you this but..." Laughter poured through her voice.

"Your--ah--drellhood is _wrinkled_."


End file.
